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Taiwan – Regional Economic Zone Concept –

The story was when the former president of South Korea claimed to be anti-Japanese and implementing an anti-Japanese policy.
South Korea had been importing materials from Japan that were critical to semiconductor manufacturing. However, South Korea was once excluded from the White Country list by Japan because there was a problem in the handling of their materials by South Korea. This was a allowable countermeasure to the serious issue of Japanese products being diverted to a dangerous country.
However, one Japanese broadcaster’s program criticized this countermeasure and made an incredible suggestion.
It suggested that Japan should create an economic zone with South Korea.

Moreover, we could not understand at all the intention of making this proposal while the South Korean Administration has publicly claimed its anti-Japanese stance and implemented an anti-Japanese policy.
However, it is difficult to understand when we stand on the Japanese side, but it is easier to understand when we stand on the opposite side.

They may be thinking, “Anti-Japan policies are acceptable because Japan is to blame. And since Korea is a superior nation to Japan, Japan will only benefit by being in the same economic zone with Korea, right ?”
With the developments of the Internet, we have recently been seeing articles in the Korean “Chosun Online” and “Hankyoreh Newspaper” of South Korea.
One of them says, “The power of the Japanese yen is already gone. There is no need for a currency swap with Japan. In fact, the Korean won is fully qualified to become a key currency. 
They seem to be rooted in the same thinking.

However, we are surprised that they do not comment on not only the above-mentioned “diversion of Japanese products that can be used for military purposes to dangerous countries,” but also “unilateral abrogation of an agreement between nations (abrogated because the support group would no longer receive money),” “the Takeshima issue,” “violation of sovereign immunity,” and so on.
In fact, I could really understand what a Republican politician in the United States said: “People like this will brutally attack only people who have different opinions, even if they do the same thing.”

However, the idea of creating an economic zone with a country that has anti-Japanese education and publicly claims to be anti-Japanese is shocking.
They probably believe that the right approach is for the Japanese people and corporations to suffer.

The concept of an economic zone with neighboring regions is great.
There are pro-Japanese countries near Japan.

『Taiwan』

The concept of an economic zone where both sides are on equal footing and respect each other is worth pursuing.
This will be an economic zone with a new framework of “tight-knit countries with weak ties” that differs from the EU.
By “weak ties” I mean a system that, unlike the EU, treats each other as independent countries, including in terms of money.

Today, Japan is committed to reviving its semiconductor superpower, and RAPIDUS is founded in this process.
In the case of semiconductors, which are also a diplomatic card:
– Japan: World leading companies in semiconductor manufacturing equipment and materials.
– Taiwan: World-class foundries such as TSMC, a world leader in miniaturization technology which is essential for high-performance devices.
Due in part to current Japanese policy, Taiwan’s TSMC is building two new facilities in Kumamoto Prefecture.
The establishment of a single economic zone between Japan and Taiwan would establish one of the world’s leading semiconductor manufacturing areas.

Other measures such as free travel for tourism, schooling, and work that contribute to the development of each country might be a great solution.
For example, passports from each country should be allowed to enter and leave the country through the same gate as their own citizens.
Also, if there were preferential treatment for economic zones in terms of air ticket prices, it would be more active.

Hoping that the relationship between both countries will be strengthened even more than it is now.

Thanks.
2024/08/21